The present invention relates to a training apparatus having a display unit for displaying a training image which changes according to an action of a trainee and also having a training device whose movable unit is operated in accordance with the action of the trainee who is viewing the training image displayed on the display unit.
In recent years, training apparatuses with which a trainee trains with reference to a training image changing according to an action of the trainee have become popular.
FIG. 9 shows a conventional training apparatus of this type. This apparatus comprises a training device 90 having a movable unit 90a which moves according to an action of a trainee, an operation detection unit 91 consisting of, e.g., a rotary encoder for detecting the operation of the movable unit 90a of the training device 90, a load unit 92 for applying a load to the movable unit 90a of the training device 90, a control unit 93 for controlling the load unit 92, an input unit 94 connected to the control unit 93, an image information processing unit 95 for processing image information under the control of the control unit 93, and a display unit 96 for displaying an image information output from the image information processing unit 95.
To perform training using the conventional training apparatus, the trainee selects a desired course (e.g., beginner, intermediate, or advanced course) from a predetermined course menu by inputting selection data from the input unit 94.
When the course is selected by the trainee, the control unit 93 controls the load unit 92 such that a load according to the selected course is applied to the movable unit of the training device 90, and simultaneously, notifies the image information processing unit 95 of the selected course. The image information processing unit 95 notified of the course displays, on the display unit 96, the first image of the training image corresponding to the notified course.
When the trainee starts training, the action of the trainee is detected by the operation detection unit 91, and the detection result is sent to the control unit 93. The control unit 93 converts the detection result from the operation detection unit 91 into a format processable by the image information processing unit 95 and sends the data to the image information processing unit 95. The image information processing unit 95 changes the training image displayed on the display unit 96 in accordance with information from the control unit 93.
In the above-described conventional training apparatus, the training image is displayed on the display device in accordance with the course of trainee's choice, and at the same time, a load according to the selected course is applied to the movable unit 90a of the training device 90. For this reason, training cannot be performed in correspondence with the capacity for locomotion and technique of the trainee. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-112071 discloses a technique in which the weight of the trainee is measured, and the power of resistance to the operation system is increased/decreased or display contents displayed on the display unit are adjusted on the basis of the measurement result. In this prior art, however, the power of resistance is increased/decreased, or the display contents are adjusted only on the basis of the weight of the trainee. Even with this technique, training corresponding to the capacity for locomotion and technique of the trainee cannot be performed.